Fears
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! Non yaoi. Goku becomes separated from the group when an assassin attacks while they are in the mountains. Being lost and alone in the snow causes some old fears to resurface. Will Sanzo be able to find the saru before the assassin does?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 1**

The sky was overcast, grey clouds hiding the afternoon sun from view. The landscape was completely white, snow covering everything as far as the eye could see. The only movement was that of four travelers, walking along the mountain path, single file through the deep drift.

"How much further is it to the town, Hakkai?" Goku asked, bowing his head.

"About the same distance that it was the last time you asked," Gojyo replied. "We've still got a good several hours of walking ahead of us and asking every five minutes isn't going to get us there any faster."

"I'm so hungry," the boy stated, his head hanging lower. "Hey Sanzo, do you have any--"

"No."

"But, Sanzo, I'm starving! I've barely had anything to eat all day!"

"Barely?!" the redhead repeated, incredulous. "You ate over half our supplies, you stupid monkey!"

"But, I'm always hungrier when I'm cold and right now I'm freezing!" he said, pulling his thin cloak more tightly around himself. "When are we gonna be able to use Hakuryuu again?"

"The path we're on is much too narrow for Hakuryuu, I'm afraid," Hakkai said, looking over his shoulder at the golden-eyed boy.

"You say that all the time! I don't think we've ever driven all the way through the mountains-- we always end up walking! Is Hakuryuu afraid of heights or something?"

"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. The flying dragon is afraid of heights." Gojyo stopped walking, peering over the edge of the path, trying to see the ravine far below. White mists obscured his view, not allowing him to gauge how far down the hill extended. "Although, it wouldn't be pretty if someone fell down there."

Goku leaned over as well, looking down into the mists. A nudge from behind caused him to stumble. "Hey, stop that!" he yelled, whirling to face the redhead, who was looking away innocently. "You almost made me fall!"

"Be careful, you two," Hakkai warned, not slowing his pace. "This is a rather narrow path we're walking down and the snow makes it almost impossible to tell exactly where the edge is."

"And if either of you fall down, we're leaving you behind," Sanzo added, his tone clearly irritated.

"It's just the monkey that you need to be worried about-- he tends to be a bit clumsy from time to time," Gojyo said, following the other two.

"What?! I'm not clumsy!" Goku argued. He paused, looking to the side, his eyes scanning the scenery. "You guys hear that?"

The others stopped, turning to look back at their shortest companion. "Hear what?" Hakkai asked.

"I'm not sure. I think it might be a growl or something, but it's hard to tell."

"Idiot, that's just your stomach," the half-demon replied.

The golden-eyed boy continued to scan the snow-covered brush, trying to find the source of the noise. "No, it's something else…" He was taken by surprise when a snowball hit the side of his face.

"You're the one complaining that you're hungry, so let's go! I'm not gonna carry you out of here if you 'collapse from lack of food,' like the last time!" the redhead said.

"That's it, Gojyo, you are so dead!" the teen yelled, the odd sound forgotten as he ran towards his tall companion.

Hakkai smiled at the normal arguments, turning back to continue walking. Hakuryuu struggled underneath his cloak, craning his long neck to look over the brunette's shoulder. "Kyuu!"

"What, now the dragon's on the monkey's side, too?" the half-demon asked, staring at the small white creature.

The green-eyed man turned his head to see what Hakuryuu was looking at. His eyes widened as he saw a gray blur separate from the trees, rapidly nearing his shortest companion. "Goku, look out!"

"Huh?" The short boy started to look back as a wolf collided with him from the side. The creature's momentum took them both over the side of the cliff.

"Goku!" Gojyo called, hurrying to where he had fallen although being careful to not do the same. Sanzo and Hakkai joined him, all staring down the mountainside. Their companion had disappeared into the mists below, his surprised yell already fading away.

"It certainly is a long way down there," Hakkai commented. "Are we going to go look for Goku?"

"No," Sanzo said, facing away from the cliff. "We're going to deal with them."

The other two turned around, startled to find several wolves emerging from the trees. The creatures moved stealthily, teeth barred as they slowly advanced on their prey.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, please sign in before reviewing or leave an email address. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 2**

"Where did they come from?!" Gojyo demanded, pulling out his shakujou as he warily watched the predators advancing.

"Don't you think it's odd, Hakkai?" the blonde asked as the wolves spread out to surround them.

"Yes. It can only mean one thing," the brunette agreed, calling forth his chi.

"What are you two talking about?" the redhead asked, confused by the conversation.

"Gojyo, wolves don't often attack people. They may go after someone who's alone if they are starving, but they almost never attack a group of two or more," the demon explained. "And they don't usually wait this long to attack, especially if their prey knows they are there."

"So? What are you getting at? Just spit it out already, Hakkai!"

"They are being controlled," the priest answered. His eyes narrowed as he sensed a faint demonic aura, trying to pin point the source still hidden in the trees. It was rapidly growing larger as the youkai stopped concealing his presence, but the monk couldn't determine his exact location.

"How very astute of you, Genjo Sanzo," a voice taunted from the brush. "But, what good does that knowledge do you? Unless, of course, you would like to hand over the scripture. If you do, I'll let you three walk out of here. If not, I'm afraid you're going to end up like your little friend who fell off the cliff. What do you say, Priest Sanzo?"

"How generous of you." The blonde raised his gun, firing a shot in the general direction the voice had come from. The wolves didn't even flinch as the bullet flew by them, or at the loud noise it produced. "But, I'm afraid you won't find us as easy to get rid of as that monkey."

"Somehow, I knew that would be your response," the voice stated, coming from a different direction. "So be it. I'm sure my wolves would be more than happy to feast on your flesh."

As the demon finished speaking, the first wolf jumped towards Gojyo. The redhead caught the beast on the rod of his shakujou, throwing it back. It skidded in the snow but was soon up on its feet again and running back for more.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked his companions, jumping into the air as sharp teeth snapped where his leg had just been. The creature yelped as he kicked it, sending it crashing into another wolf headed his way.

"I'm not sure," Hakkai replied, his barrier keeping the predators away from both him and the priest. "We can't just kill them."

Gojyo spared him a glance, his brow darkening. "Oh, sure, you'll protect the monk, but make me fight for my life! Gee, thanks, Hakkai!"

The brunette smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but you weren't standing close enough," he explained. "So, do you have any ideas?" He looked over his shoulder, eyebrows rising as he saw the blonde. "Sanzo?"

The monk had his eyes closed, his hand held in front of him with the first two fingers raised in a holy sign. A number of slips of paper were held between his fingers, kanji appearing on them as he chanted. A tingling sensation covered Hakkai's exposed skin and he felt his barrier weaken slightly. He redoubled his efforts, taking a step backwards as the wolves continued to throw themselves against the shield as if sensing his weakness. He looked back at his companion again as the soft chanting stopped.

Sanzo's eyes shot open, meeting the brunette's gaze. "Hakkai, when I tell you to, I want you to drop the barrier," he instructed.

"Are you sure?" the green-eyed man questioned.

"This should work," he replied, clutching the talismans tightly. "Besides, we don't have all day to play with dogs."

Hakkai glanced at the pieces of paper, his eyes widening slightly. "Those talismans… Are they--"

"Now, Hakkai!" the blonde interrupted, cutting him off.

"If you say so," he replied, dropping the barrier. The priest quickly stepped in front of him, throwing several of the papers. The talismans hit their marks with unerring accuracy, each attaching itself between the wolves' eyes. The creatures howled in pain, falling to the ground and writhing as black energy seemed to spark around them.

"How about a little help over here, guys?" Gojyo called. A wolf was hopelessly tangled in the chain of the shakujou, intermittently lunging at the redhead and biting the metal links to free itself. The half-demon danced out of range, not wanting to kill the creature but loathe to release his only weapon.

Sanzo stepped towards him, raising the paper in his hand. "Let go of the shakujou and move away from the wolf," he instructed.

"What?! And what if there're more of these animals waiting in the trees? I can't just keep summoning these, ya know!" the redhead shot back.

The blonde's face remained impassive. "I'm only going to repeat myself once. Drop it and get out of the way."

Something in the gunman's tone set off warning bells in Gojyo's head. He hesitated only briefly before releasing the shakujou, quickly jumping away from the rabid animal. The priest threw the remaining talisman, this one also attaching itself between the wolf's eyes and causing the creature to fall to the ground, howling in pain. The weapon disappeared as the black energy touched it.

"What the-- you disintegrated my weapon! Now what am I supposed to fight with, huh?!" the redhead demanded, glaring at the blonde.

"Moron," Sanzo muttered. Ignoring the outraged half-demon, the priest closed his eyes, moving his hand in front of him with the first two fingers pointed upwards. Focusing his energy, he began to chant softly. "I draw upon the power of the talisman to banish these demons from the land of the living and send them back from where they came…"

Gojyo's eyes widened at the familiar words as Hakkai nodded to himself. "I thought I recognized those symbols," he said.

"Sanzo's using the same chant as Rikudo," the redhead stated, a little shocked. He remembered what those did to the demons the talismanic monk had used them on.

"If you look closely, you'll see he's using the same talismans, too," the brunette pointed out.

"This is the first time I've ever seen the monk use a talisman. Why's he carrying those around with him, anyway?!" he demanded, watched as the wolves finally laid still, the dark energy rising from their forms and dissipating in the air.

"Well, he _is_ a high ranking priest," Hakkai explained. "Just because he doesn't like to use them doesn't mean that he can't."

The redhead snorted. "Besides, didn't he say something about 'banishing demons?' I thought that the wolves were just being controlled?"

"The talismans destroy demonic aura," Sanzo explained, joining the conversation. "If it had been a demon, it would have been killed. In this case, the demonic aura controlling the wolves was eradicated."

"And the youkai controlling them?" Hakkai asked.

"He left as soon as I threw the first talisman. If he's strong enough, he'll be able to remove the talismans and take control of the wolves again. However, he won't be able to do it today," he stated, looking back at the creatures lying on the ground. "It'll probably be a couple hours before any of these animals wake up, anyway."

"Forget about the wolves, how am I supposed to fight without a weapon?!" Gojyo demanded.

The priest rolled his eyes. "Moron."

"What'd you say?!"

The monk met the angry gaze, his violet orbs impassive. "Why don't you try summoning it?"

The redhead did so, looking almost surprised as the shakujou appeared in his hand. "What the…? But, I thought…"

"It was sent back to where it came from before you summoned it. If you hadn't of let go, you probably would have gone with it, or just been stripped of your demonic aura, killing you on the spot," he stated, turning away from the redhead. "Idiot."

"Well, that's one problem taken care of, at least," the brunette interceded before the half-demon could respond. He moved back over the cliff, looking over the edge. "Now, what are we going to do about Goku?"

"Nothing." Sanzo turned and continued up the path. "We keep heading for the town."

"What?! You're not just gonna leave him there, are you?!" Gojyo demanded.

"I believe that's what I just said."

"It is quite a steep cliff and we don't know how far down it goes," Hakkai pointed out.

The priest didn't even pause. "He wouldn't die that easily."

"So, that's it, then? You're just gonna walk away, not caring about what happens to the monkey?" the crimson-eyed demon asked, anger coloring his tone.

"Yes."

"That's a bit harsh, even coming from you, Sanzo," Hakkai stated. "What do you know that we don't? What makes you so certain that Goku will be alright?"

The monk snorted. "For one, he probably wouldn't die even if you killed him. He can handle any wild animals or demons that he might run into out here."

"Speaking of demons, do you think our attacker will go after Goku?" the brunette asked.

"No. He thinks that little fall from the cliff killed the monkey. Besides, he's after the Maten Sutra. He'll be following us, not the chimp. As for Goku, he knows where we're going and, more importantly, that there is food there, so he'll probably beat us to the town, anyway. And if he doesn't, he's the only one that can survive the night out here without shelter. In case you've forgotten, we're losing daylight fast and we still have several hours to go," he explained.

"What do you mean, he'd make it through the night? He was the first to complain about being cold-- that scrawny little monkey would probably freeze before any of us would!" the redhead argued.

The priest turned to look at Gojyo. "How cold do you think it gets on a mountain summit? Goku was locked in a shallow cave with less clothing than he has on now and managed to survive five hundred winters with little protection from the elements. Just because he complains that he's cold doesn't mean it'll kill him. He always says he's going to starve to death, but we know that that isn't possible, either," he stated, continuing along the path.

The two demons stared after him. "Sanzo does have several good points," Hakkai conceded. "And he's right, we can't afford to waste any time if we want to reach the town by nightfall. It looks like we don't have any choice."

Gojyo looked back down the cliff, squinting as he tried to see through the mists to what lay below them. Giving up, he shoved his hands deep inside his pockets, shoulders hunched, as he followed his companions.

. . .

Goku opened his eyes, blinking slowly at the white sky above him. His left arm and shoulder were throbbing while his head felt like Sanzo was inside it, bashing his brains with the paper fan. The rest of his body felt bruised all over, like he had acted as somebody's punching bag while he was out. "Itai," he muttered, raising his right hand to his head. He hissed softly as his fingers found a large bump behind his ear. Looking down, he saw several gashes in his shoulder and upper arm, the blood staining the traveling cloak he was wearing. "What happened…?" he asked softly, the lumpy ground he was laying on becoming more uncomfortable by the second. With a great effort, he sat up, carefully turning his head to look behind him. A wolf was lying on the ground, its body twisted unnaturally. It was obviously dead.

"Oh, that's right," Goku said, muddled memories surfacing in his mind. "The wolf knocked me over the side of the cliff. Guess I must have landed on it when I fell." His attention was drawn back to his injured arm and he tore a couple strips off the bottom of his cloak, wrapping the wounds as best he could.

"It sure is a long way back up," he commented, looking up the steep cliff. It disappeared into the clouds, giving the impression that it went up forever. "I guess I'll have to try and find a path back up there," he said, pulling himself to his feet. "Let's see-- the mountain has to dip down some time, so if I walk along the cliff wall, I should be able to get back up to the top eventually," he reasoned, moving a little stiffly in his chosen direction.

The hours stretched on as he walked, pausing every now and then to listen for any sign of his companions nearby. Silence was his only reply, the white snow around him seeming to swallow all sound. Sighing heavily, he would continue onward, straining his ears to hear something other than the snow crunching beneath his feet, anything that might signify he wasn't alone. The large rocks and thick brush forced him further and further away from the side of the cliff until he had lost sight of it completely. By the time he realized it was gone, the path he had forged through the undergrowth and around the geological mounds had turned him in so many different directions that he didn't even know which way he needed to go to get back to the rocky wall. He could practically hear Sanzo yelling at him in his mind ("Baka saru! How could you lose an entire _mountain?!_").

Not wanting to lose time by backtracking, he decided to continue going forward, trusting that he was still heading in the right direction. Although the sun wasn't visible through the clouds, he could tell it was late because it was steadily getting darker. A chill wind had started blowing, whistling through the tree branches and tugging at his hair. He pulled the thin cloak more tightly around himself as he continued fighting his way through the bushes, almost stumbling as he came upon a clearing. He glanced around, noticing a trail free of the troublesome undergrowth he had been struggling against leading off in the general direction he had been heading in.

"Hey, a path! Sweet!" the boy cried, pumping his fist in the air. He quickly replaced his arms across his chest, pulling his cloak closed once more as the cold wind stole what warmth it could from him. It did not seem to put a damper on his mood, however, as he enthusiastically headed off again. "I'm sure that this will lead me to Sanzo and the others!"

It didn't take long before the fast pace set by the eager teen slowed back to a walk, the seemingly endless path twisting this way and that. The saru wasn't even sure he was still heading in the right direction, but he figured that going somewhere, anywhere, was infinitely better than standing still. He looked up at the sky, turning as he scrutinized the clouds along the horizon, trying to tell where the sun was setting. They all looked the same to his eyes and he sighed, his gaze dropping to a single set of footprints leading back the way he had come. He stared at them for a few seconds, memories coming unbidden to his mind. The first time he had willingly set foot in the snow outside his prison, his footprints had mingled with those of his friends, becoming one among many. Now, however, the solitary set was all that marred the white landscape, showing him how truly alone he was. He shook his head sharply, continuing along the path with a bit more haste than was necessary, as if he could leave the depressing thoughts behind him.

It wasn't long before night finally settled in on the mountain, forcing Goku to stop. The wind was positively shrieking through the trees now, battering the small form struggling through the snow. Not being able to continue down the trail, the golden-eyed boy moved off the beaten path, settling down in the brush in the hopes that it would provide some meager protection from the wind. He pulled his cloak more tightly around himself, clenching his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering too much. "Sanzo will come for me," he said to himself. "He wouldn't leave me behind. He'll come for me. Sanzo always comes for me."

. . .

Hakkai opened his eyes to see Hakuryuu curled up on the pillow next to him. He smiled, sitting up and stretching before climbing out of the bed. He could hear the wind howling outside, pounding on the window like a demon demanding to be let in. The brunette pulled the curtain aside, calmly looking at the flurry of snow blowing around outside. "This doesn't look good," he said, turning and heading to his companion's room.

Sanzo didn't look up at the knock or when the door to his room was opened. He sat in a chair, a lit cigarette dangling between his fingers as he stared unseeingly out the window.

"It appears that a blizzard has sprung up overnight," the green-eyed man said, moving further into the room. The priest didn't even bother to reply. "So, it seems as though we are going to be stuck here until the weather clears up."

"It would seem so."

Hakkai glanced around the room. "I take it that Goku did not show up at all last night?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nope."

"What do you think happened to him?"

The monk put the cigarette to his lips, inhaling deeply. "Probably got lost in the snow," he replied, his tone bored. "He'll turn up sooner or later."

Hakkai folded his arms, his gaze going to the window. "I hope so. Blizzards can be very disorientating so it's all but impossible to go looking for him, unless we want to become lost ourselves."

Sanzo continued staring at the snow, violet eyes betraying nothing of the thoughts running through his head. "All we can do is wait. As if we didn't have enough distractions and setbacks as it is," he stated, annoyed. "Stupid monkey."

"Now, now, even if Goku was here with us, we wouldn't be able to move on until the blizzard passed, anyway," the demon pointed out. "So, you can't really blame him for the delay."

"Hmph." The priest crushed his cigarette in the ashtray, pulling out another one and lighting it. "Well, he'd better get here soon. We're leaving as soon as the storm passes."

"What about the demon?"

"What about him?"

"Do you think he might have found Goku?" the brunette clarified.

"It's highly unlikely. He's after the scripture, not the monkey," the gunman stated. "Besides, I doubt even someone as stupid as that demon would be out in this weather."

"That's true," Hakkai responded, his gaze wandering to the window.

"Why?"

The green-eyed man smiled. "I'm just a bit concerned, I guess," he replied. "These are rather extreme conditions that he is lost in."

Sanzo snorted. "Don't be. That saru may be a baka, but he can take care of himself. If anything, this storm will give him more incentive to catch up with us."

"Of course." He turned, quietly exiting the room. He paused in the doorway, glancing again out the window. _I hope you're right, Sanzo._

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, please sign in before reviewing or leave an email address. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 3**

Goku bowed his head against the wind, shoulders hunched as he continued on. Large snowflakes filled the air around him, their constant shifting making it impossible to see more than two feet in front of him. The blizzard had blown in during the night, prompting an early start since he had been unable to sleep anyway. The flurry around him had grown lighter as the sun rose but did nothing to improve visibility. The wind tore at his clothing, whipping the cloak about him as he pressed on. He held one arm in front of his face, squinting his eyes to see above it while the other one clutched the front of the cloak to keep it from blowing away.

The going was slow, but he kept walking, pausing to lean against a tree for a few seconds before moving on again. He had unknowingly left the path at some point and was not entirely convinced he could find it again if he tried, so he continued ever onward, believing that if he walked long enough in one direction, he'd have to end up somewhere eventually. So, until either Sanzo and the others found him, or he reached a town, he would keep walking.

The day passed, Goku allowing his body to fall to the ground as the world began to darken once more. _I'm so cold -- and so hungry!_ he thought, wrapping his arms around himself. He cocked his head to the side, closing his eyes as he tried to listen for the familiar voice, but none came. "I wish Sanzo would hurry up and find me already," he muttered. _What if he doesn't come for me?_ The treacherous thought flittered through his mind and he shook his head, as if to fling it out. "Sanzo will come for me -- he always comes for me," he told himself firmly. Repeating it several times to convince himself it was true, and forcing any and all doubt from his mind, he hunkered down in the snow and prepared to wait out the long night.

. . .

"Okay, beat that!" Gojyo laid the cards face-up on the table, grinning as he raised his eyes to meet his opponent's.

"If you insist." The brunette met his gaze steadily, amusement glinting in his emerald orbs as he also laid his hand on the polished wood, the smile never leaving his face.

"Man, I have got to learn how you do that," the redhead said, gazing at the cards in disbelief. He sat back, pushing his chair away from the table as he stood. "You could at least pretend to lose once in a while," he complained, running his fingers through the long crimson locks.

"Gojyo, are you actually saying that you want me to throw the game so you can say you beat me?" Hakkai asked, feigning shock.

"Nah, it wouldn't be satisfying if you just let me win, anyway. But you don't have to beat me so badly every single time ya know," he replied, dropping his hand back down to his side.

"I'll keep that in mind during our next game."

The conversation died as Hakkai gathered up the cards, replacing them in the case. The room was silent. The half demon's eyes wandered to the window, staring at the ice storm beyond the glass. "It seems almost weird without the chimp here making all that racket all the time," he stated.

"Yes, it's been rather quiet these last two days, hasn't it?" the brunette asked. "After traveling together for so long the silence is almost unnatural. Don't you agree, Sanzo?"

"I, for one, welcome any peace and quiet I can find," the monk replied, not looking up. He was sitting across the room reading a newspaper, a steaming mug on the table beside him.

"The lack of noise is nice, I'll admit, but I'm a little worried about him. I mean, he fell down the cliff two days ago and has been out in this blizzard all day yesterday and today," the redhead said, still gazing out into the snow. "And there is still the matter of that assassin, who's still running loose."

"If you're so concerned, why don't you go look for him yourself? No one's stopping you," the priest pointed out.

"Maybe I will." The half-demon turned away from the glass, facing the gunman. "After all, it seems like I'm the only one who cares what happens to the monkey!"

"Now, now, Gojyo, we're all worried about Goku," Hakkai interjected, stepping between his companions. "But, snowstorms tend to be unpredictable and it would be suicide to search for him in this blizzard. We'd only get lost and end up freezing ourselves."

"I know," the crimson-eyed man said, flopping down onto a bed. "I just hate sitting around not doing anything."

"Believe me, I know exactly how you feel, my friend," the brunette said. He moved back to his seat, green orbs widening marginally as they landed on the priest. "Sanzo? Are you alright?" he asked.

The blonde was massaging his temples, both his glasses and the paper sitting on the table next to him. He stopped at Hakkai's inquiry, replacing the spectacles on the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine," he said, glaring as if daring either of them to disagree. "I just have a headache."

. . .

Goku plopped down in the snow, looking at the storm still raging around him. He saw a tree standing several feet away from him, idly noting the visiblity was improving, which meant that the blizzard wasn't quite as bad as before. However, this tidbit of knowledge did nothing to raise his spirits. "What's taking them so long?" he asked to no one in particular, his soft words swallowed in the howling wind. "I feel like I've been walking forever. Sanzo should have been here by now." _Sanzo isn't coming._ The traitorous thought had continually popped into his head, becoming harder to deny each time. He pulled the cloak around himself, as if it could shield him from his thoughts.

_"If either of you fall off, you're being left behind."_

The teen bolted upright, eyes wide as he remembered the priest's words days before. _Sanzo said he was going to leave me behind. Sanzo never means what he says, but...what else could be taking so long? No, he has to be here -- Sanzo has to be out here somewhere! I **know** he is!_

Goku started running, adrenaline pumping through his veins as his fear of being alone drove him on. Branches tore as his clothing as he heedlessly pushed through them, not knowing where he was headed, only that he had to go. The frigid air seared his lungs with each harsh breath, icy flakes stinging his eyes as he ran.

"SANZO!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, waiting a few seconds for an answer above the wind. "SANZO!!"

Eventually, his pounding feet slowed to a walk before stopping completely. He doubled over as he gasped for air, hands resting on his knees. He stayed like that for a moment before continuing on, his tired steps slow through the snow. "SANZO!!"

The hours stretched on, the pure white of day fading into the bleak gray of twilight. Goku had long stopped calling, his feet still moving stiffly through the white powder. No one had come for him. No one was looking for him. He had been left behind. He could hear the sound of the hated snow crunching underneath his feet, though the wind almost blocked it out. He didn't look behind because he didn't want to see his single set of tracks disappear as the strong gusts filled and covered them in a new powdery coat. He didn't want to see how truly alone he was.

He was stumbling more often now, though whether it was due to the numbing cold, fatigue or the rapidly fading light, he couldn't say. His feet led him to a cave, the dark crevasse offering protection from the cruel wind and hated snow. He walked up to the entrance, coming to a halt just short of the rocky opening. As much as he tried, he just couldn't make himself enter the natural structure. He stood there a little longer before turning his head away. _I just can't do it. It looks nothing like my mountain prison, but I just can't...not even to get out of this horrible snow,_ he admitted bitterly. His head bowed, he turned and found a nearby tree. He moved over to it, sitting at its base. He put his arms around his knees, resting his forehead on them, as if trying to hide himself from the world. _I just can't do it alone._

. . .

The inn was silent, everyone having gone to bed hours ago. One person tossed and turned, cursing the others sleeping soundly in the establishment while he was unable to do the same. The mental plea came again, making the blonde wince at the intensity of the cry. The voice was always there in the back of his mind, rising and falling in volume according to the emotional state of its owner. Right now the voice was so loud it almost drowned out the sound of the real world. "Alright, alright!" the monk said, sitting up. His hands tiredly gripped the sides of his head, as if the pressure could force the voice to be quiet. "I'm coming."

Sanzo stood, slipping into his robes and grabbing one of the travel bags before heading downstairs. A steady stream of curses ran through his mind as he raided the kitchen, packing the bag to its max capacity. He left it sitting in the hallway as he returned to his room, one hand massaging his temple. He stripped the bed of its blankets, wrapping them around himself and using an obi to keep them in place. He pulled his traveling cloak over himself, scoffing at his padded reflection in the mirror before retrieving the bag and exiting the inn. He closed his eyes, focusing on the ever-present voice, trying to determine which direction it was coming from.

/Sanzo, why did you leave me behind?/

The monk jerked his eyes open, surprised to hear the tears in the saru's tone. He had been concentrating so much on ignoring the voice that he hadn't noticed it before. Shaking his head, he pulled out a lantern, using his lighter to light the wick. Holding it up to illuminate as much around him as possible, he set off into the night.

The going was slow, even though the wind seemed to be pushing him from behind, urging him on. The uneven terrain was hidden beneath a blanket of white, causing the priest to almost lose his footing more than once. The lantern swung back and forth from his hand, its feeble light doing little more than brightening the snow immediately in front of him. He swore as another branch caught his robes, momentarily halting his forward progression.

/Sanzo…/

The blonde resisted the urge to rip the cloth out of the brush, instead taking the time to free it carefully so as to not tear the garment. His head throbbed, the wind screaming outside his ears while Goku did the same on the inside. _Sometimes, I really wish this was a two-way connection,_ he thought, angrily pushing through the brush. _He's free to yell inside my head all day and night regardless of where he is. And what's worse, half the time he doesn't even know he's doing it!_

The minutes turned into hours, the landscape slowly growing lighter as the sun rose behind the thick clouds. Sanzo extinguished the lantern once it was bright enough to see without it, hanging it from a strap on the bag before wearily pushing on. The wind had let up quite a bit, still blowing but nothing compared to the gale it had been when he had set out. _With any luck, after I find Goku, the storm will blow over completely and we can head back tomorrow. Yeah, right. Since when has luck been on my side? When have I been someone weak enough to rely on it, for that matter?_ he thought scathingly. He paused, closing his eyes for a moment before correcting his course and continuing on. _Then again, it'll be a miracle if either of us make it back to town alive, at this rate. I've been heading in one general direction, but that doesn't mean I'll be able to make it back. Oh well, it's pointless to worry about that now._ He paused, a wry smile forming on his freezing lips. _Although, perhaps I should have left a note for Hakkai and Gojyo. Knowing those two, they'll probably get themselves lost looking for me._ He shrugged, the smile lingering upon his lips. _I guess that's not my problem._

. . .

Hakkai knocked on the door before letting himself into the room. "Sanzo, are you awake yet…?" The brunette let his question trail off as his eyes landed on the empty bed that had been stripped down to its sheets. "Ah, it seems as though you were up before us this morning," he said, not really talking to anyone in particular. Sighing, he adjusted his grip on the tray he was carrying and headed back to the common room.

"So, the high and mighty priest is still asleep, is he? And to think, he gives Goku such a hard time about sleeping in…" Gojyo said as his friend came back down the stairs, noting the full tray in his arms.

"Actually, he wasn't there," the emerald-eyed man replied, setting the untouched breakfast on the table.

The redhead, who had previously been leaning back in his chair, sat forward, his face serious. "What do you mean, he wasn't there? He hasn't come downstairs all morning. Where else would he be?"

"Well, if the missing blankets on his bed are any indication, I'd guess that he went out to look for Goku."

The half-demon swore. "And that bastard didn't even invite us along? Stupid monk," he said, looking at the storm still going strong out the window. "He's gonna get himself killed."

"Why, Gojyo," Hakkai said, feigning surprise. "Are you actually admitting to being worried about what happens to Sanzo?"

"Don't get me wrong, I could care less if he freezes to death out there. I just don't wanna be around when someone breaks the news to the monkey. You remember what happened last time the monk was seriously injured. Besides," the crimson-eyed man said, leaning back in his chair, "I'll bet that bastard took his gold card with him."

"I suppose so," the demon replied, his gaze also wandering to the window. _Still, I can't imagine what possessed Sanzo to go out in weather like this. He was the one assuring us that Goku would be fine out there until the storm passed. Why did he suddenly change his mind? What makes him think he can find Goku in a blizzard? Or, that he can find his way back, for that matter? Does he believe something happened to Goku? If so, why risk the bad weather alone? What does he hope to accomplish by himself?_

"So?"

The brunette blinked, broken out of his revere. "What?"

"So, what are we gonna do now?" the redhead asked, looking annoyed with the whole situation.

Hakkai smiled, easily reading the tension in his friend's seemingly relaxed posture. Gojyo was more worried about his missing companions than he let on. "Well, Sanzo didn't share whatever apparent lead he had on Goku's whereabouts, and we don't even know when he left. The blizzard will have erased all trace of his passing by now, and we'd only end up getting lost ourselves if we went to look for them. It seems like all we can do it wait."

The half-demon closed his eyes, removing the cigarette from his lips as he exhaled the smoke from his lungs. "I knew you were going to say that."

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, please sign in before reviewing or leave an email address. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 4**

The white powder crunched softly underneath Sanzo's boots, his breath misting in the frigid air. His arms were folded tightly across his chest, trying to preserve what little body heat he hadn't lost already. His jaw was starting to ache from clamping it shut to keep his teeth from chattering. He stumbled again over an unseen branch, barely managing to keep himself from falling. _Time for another break._

He brushed the snow off of a nearby rock, sitting down and resting his tired and partially numb legs. He took a moment to catch his breath before pulling out a pack of cigarettes and his lighter. He took a long drag, holding it in his lungs for a few seconds before exhaling. A thin stream of smoke drifted lazily into the air from the burning tip of the rolled up tobacco.

_How many hours have I been walking?_ the priest wondered idly, holding the cigarette to his mouth. His hand shook from the cold. _It must be well after noon, by now. I'm not sure how many more hours of daylight are left, or if I'll find Goku before then. Finding shelter tonight is going to be a problem as well, since I am obviously not going to make it back to town. Baka saru._ He switched the cigarette to his other hand as his exposed fingers were starting to go numb. _It seems like he got so turned around out here that he was heading away from the town rather than towards it. At least the wind has finally stopped, even if it is still snowing,_ he thought, tilting his head back to look at the sky. The sight of the falling flakes would have been beautiful if it wasn't for the cold. _And, still no sign of our most recent assassin._ Taking one last drag, he crushed the tip on the rock, dropping the butt into the snow. Sighing, he pulled himself back to his feet, heading towards the insistent voice only he could hear.

Time seemed to slip away as he continued putting one foot in front of the other, telling himself that he would just go a little farther before working on a make-shift shelter to spend the night in. He wasn't quite ready to stop looking just yet. He was very happy, however, when he stumbled upon a cave. And the dark-haired form of the saru sitting outside of it.

The brunette was sitting against a tree, his arms curled tightly around his legs while his face was buried in his knees. It was obvious from the snow that had gathered on his shaking form that he hadn't moved from that position in quite a while. He didn't even react as the monk approached him.

Sanzo stopped in front of his charge, looking down at the shivering boy and then over to the mouth of the cave. _He's obviously freezing, but refuses to go into the cave,_ he noted, guessing the reason for the saru's reluctance. Sighing, he reached forward, tousling the brown hair to dislodge the snow gathered there as he put his hand on the teen's head.

The effect was instantaneous, Goku's head snapping up at the unexpected touch, eyes wide with disbelief. "S-Sanz-zo," he breathed, teeth chattering almost loudly enough to drown out the stammered name. Slowly, as if to keep from startling the mirage, he reached out one violently shaking hand, lightly brushing against and then grasping the monk's robe. When he didn't disappear, the saru leapt to his feet, throwing his arms around the startled priest and embraced him tightly.

The blonde didn't pull away, resting his hand again on the short boy's head. He allowed the golden-eyed child to cling to him for a few seconds more before gently pushing him away. "That's e-enough of that. S-since when h-have I let y-you hug me, b-baka saru?" he asked, mentally cursing his shuddering jaw.

The monkey looked up at him, tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Baka saru," the priest repeated, looking away. It would never do to let the teen know that he had been concerned about him. How desperately the golden-eyed child had clung to him was worrisome, as well as the fact he still seemed rather depressed. Turning, he headed into the cave. The brunette followed behind him, pausing ever so briefly in the mouth of the crevasse before entering in, his eyes never leaving the monk's form. The blonde moved back into the cave a ways, shrugging off the overstuffed pack he had been carrying and leaned it against the wall. He looked over what was visible of the inside of the tunnel, turning back to his companion. "It's t-too late to head b-back to town today. We need t-to get enough f-firewood to make it through the night. I'll sh-show you where to find it," he said.

They left the cave, moving over to one of the many pine trees around them. The gunman ducked under the lowest hanging branches, his charge right on his heels. "The lower b-branches are all d-dead," he explained, snapping one of the brittle limbs off and tossing it on the ground. "The p-pine needles on the h-higher branches keep them dry. We c-can use these for the f-fire."

Sanzo broke off all the branches he could reach, directing the saru to climb into some of the lower limbs and do the same. It did not escape the priest's notice that the brown-haired boy didn't use his left arm to climb, nor that he was careful to always keep the gunman in sight. It wasn't long before they had amassed a large pile of wood. The monk picked up the portion he would carry back, allowing Goku to do the same. He watched as the boy carefully gathered a stack, supporting its weight with his right arm while using his left to keep it in place. He grimaced slightly when moving the limb, but did not complain. _So, his arm is injured but not too badly,_ the blonde noted, leading the way back to the cave. It took several more trips to different trees before the monk was satisfied.

"Th-that should get us through the n-night, at least," he said, dropping the sticks in his arms onto the large pile further back in the cave. _Just in time, too,_ he thought, looking outside. The world of white had turned to gray, signaling the end of the day. Picking out a few limbs, he moved a ways away from the stack of wood, breaking off the smaller twigs and pine cones to use for kindling. Setting these to the side, he found three stones about the same size, placing them in a triangle. He arranged the wood around them, taking out his lighter and setting the kindling on fire. The golden-eyed child sat off to the side, out of the way as he watched the blonde's every move like a hawk. It was almost as if he thought the priest would disappear if he took his eyes off him.

After the fire was burning steadily, Sanzo took off his traveling cloak and removed the obi, letting the blankets wrapped around him fall to the ground. Picking up one of the quilts, he moved over to the entrance of the cave, using rocks to wedge the top two corners of the bedspread into the higher cracks to create a door to keep the heat in, while leaving a space at the top for the smoke to escape out of. Finding two larger rocks, he weighted down the bottom corners as well. Once he was satisfied the wind wouldn't blow it down, he moved back over to his pack, opening the large pocket. "Figures," he muttered, removing a plate and filling it with the now-frozen meat buns. He set it near the fire to thaw, half expecting his oddly silent companion to pounce on the defenseless food. The monkey didn't even spare the plate a glance, focusing solely on the priest.

Mentally shrugging, the monk moved a little ways back from the fire, gently untying the laces on his boots. _My feet have been practically numb for most of the day,_ he thought, his face betraying none of the apprehension he felt as he carefully removed one shoe. He took off his sock just as painstakingly, trying to keep from rubbing the material against his skin more than necessary. When his foot was exposed, he examined it closely, looking for any sign of frostbite. _Not much in the way of discoloration,_ he noted, relieved none of the skin was turning black. _A bit red, but that's to be expected. Some of the feeling is even starting to come back,_ he thought, feeling the stinging sensation spread across his foot as it began to warm up in the heated room. Satisfied, he gently removed his other boot, also examining the other foot and finding it in a similar state. _It would seem that because I was walking all day, circulation to my feet wasn't cut to the point of severe frostbite. Goku, on the other hand, had been sitting in that same position for quite some time…_ "Goku, come here."

The short boy obeyed without question, taking a seat next to the gunman. With the same care and regard the he used on himself, he gently removed the boy's shoe, noting that both it and the sock inside were soaking wet. _Why would his shoes and socks be-- Oh, right. He was sitting in the snow, letting it melt into his clothes for who knows how long. It's likely that he's completely drenched,_ he thought, only now noticing how heavily Goku's clothing sat upon his lithe frame, clinging to his body more than the loose material should. With a slight shake of his head, he carefully removed the sock, studying the skin beneath it. It was a bit pink from the cold, but that was it. Sanzo's brow furrowed in confusion. "Can you feel your toes?" he asked.

"Yeah," the brunette replied, looking at the priest a little oddly as he wiggled the toes in question. "They're really cold, but I can feel them."

The monk sat back, shaking his head. _Well, I suppose if Goku were capable of getting frostbite, he would have done so the first winter of his imprisonment on Mt. Gogyou. What exactly is his body made of anyway…?_ he wondered, leaning over to grab the blanket that was still lying on the floor. "Here," he said, handing the quilt to his charge. "Take off your wet clothes and lay them out by the fire so they'll dry."

Again, the boy obeyed without complaint, undressing and spreading out the garments on the ground. Sanzo said nothing as he saw the make-shift bandages wrapped around his charge's left arm. _I need to check his injuries,_ he thought, rifling through his pack as the brunette pulled the blanket around himself, sitting across the fire. _He probably didn't clean it very well, if at all. I hope it's not infected._

The dancing flames were reflected in the golden eyes as the boy watched the blonde pull out a kettle and a small jar, setting the latter near the fire. The monk carefully pulled his socks and boots back onto his now sensitive feet, not bothering with the laces. He stood, stepping a bit gingerly as he headed towards the entrance of the cave. He moved one of the rocks off the bottom corner of the blanket, pushing the curtain aside as he stepped outside. The blackness of the night was a stark contrast to the brightness of the cave and he waited for his eyes to adjust. There was a scrambling sound from behind him, smaller pebbles skittering across the floor as bare feet knocked them aside. Light spilled out of the cave as the blanket was roughly pushed aside. Sanzo glanced at the boy over his shoulder. He was clutching the quilt around his chest with one hand, his breathing a little heavier than normal.

"I'm just getting some snow," the monk said. The saru didn't reply. Sanzo sighed, bending down and scooping the fresh powder into the pot, compacting it to fit more in. When he was finished, he turned back to his charge, gesturing for him to go back inside. The teen stepped back, allowing the priest to walk past him before letting the curtain fall over the entrance.

Sanzo moved back over to the fire, carefully placing the kettle on the stones in the middle of the fire so it would melt the snow and heat the water. Sitting down again, he took off his cold boots before picking up the plate of meat buns, lightly squeezing them to see if they were still frozen. Satisfied they were thawed, the gunman took two for himself, handing the other three to his companion. Goku accepted the plate, picking up one of the rolls and eating it quietly.

The monk took a bite of the meat bun, chewing pensively. _I thought that food would bring him out of this stupor for sure. He should be starving, yet he's eating almost mechanically, more out of habit than actual hunger. He's uncharacteristically quiet and seems content to just sit there staring at me. Did something else happen to him out here?_ he wondered, discreetly observing the teen.

After the priest had finished, he motioned Goku over to him again. The saru complied, kneeling next to the blonde and allowing him to removed the bandages. Sanzo studied the boy's arm in the flickering light of the fire, gently probing the inflamed skin around the jagged wounds. _He seems to only have a minor infection,_ he thought, carefully examining the injuries. _Quite surprising, considering these probably came from the wolf's teeth. He's lucky he's not missing a chunk out of his arm._ He shook his head slightly, gathering up the excess material of his sleeve and holding it out of the flames as he pulled the kettle from the fire. Retrieving a bowl from his bag, he poured some of the warm water into it, replacing the pot back on the make-shift stove. Taking a cloth and a roll of bandages from the travel pack, he began to clean the gashes on the boy's arm. When he was satisfied, he picked up the jar next to the fire, spreading the ointment liberally over the wounds before dressing them. The monkey didn't make a sound the entire time, his gaze never leaving the blonde.

After he had finished, he gestured for the boy to move back to his spot. The brunette did so, pulling the blanket back around his still-shivering form as the blonde retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his robes and lit one up. He took a long drag, allowing his eyes to close as he felt the nicotine rush into his system. _We need to get an early start in the morning. It took me half the night and most of the day to get this far from the town, but we should make better time without the blizzard. I traveled in a straight line for the most part, so it shouldn't be too difficult to head back in that direction. Even if the demon doesn't know we're out here right now, he'll probably find us when we head back. Wolves are, unfortunately, good at tracking. Depending on where he's having them search, they may have already picked up my scent and could be heading here right now. Or, perhaps he's having them attack the town. Whatever the case, we need to be alert. And unless the monkey snaps out of this daze, he's going to be less than useless,_ he thought. He could feel Goku's gaze on him as he listened to the saru settle down across the fire. It was starting to annoy him. "If you've got something to say," he said, violet meeting gold, "then let's hear it. You haven't stopped staring at me since I got here."

Goku didn't react to the sharp tone, holding Sanzo's gaze. After a moment his eyes dropped to the fire as he unconsciously pulled the quilt more tightly around himself. "You left me behind," he said, his voice small and slightly muffled by the blanket. "I-I tried to find you, I tried to get back up to the trail, tried to catch up, but I couldn't and I got lost. I was calling for you, but you didn't answer. I was alone," he said, huddling deeper into the quilt, the firelight reflecting off the tears shining in his eyes. "You said, when you found me on Mt. Gogyou, that you heard my voice, calling to you and it was driving you insane. You only came to make me be quiet." He paused, taking a deep breath before bringing his gaze back up to meet the monk's, his eyes pleading to know the truth. "Is that why you came back this time, too? Was it only to make me be quiet because I'm nothing more than an annoyance? Do you--" His voice caught in his throat, but he forced himself to continue. "Do you not want me to be here?"

Sanzo was caught off guard by the question, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He quickly recovered, composing his features into an indifferent mask. "Baka saru," he muttered, flicking the butt of his cigarette into the fire. "The only reason you're here is because the Three Aspects commanded me to take you, Gojyo and Hakkai with me on this mission," he stated, watching the golden eyes disappear as Goku buried his face in his knees. "But, it's useful to have your enhanced senses around, particularly when you discover a group of demons lying in wait before we walk into the trap. It's also nice to have a strong fighter at my back in battle," he continued, pulling another cigarette from his robe.

Goku's eyes had reappeared, begging the priest for an answer. "Then, why?" he asked softly.

"I left you behind," Sanzo replied, his eyes closed as he took a drag off his cigarette, "because you are the only one in our group that can survive the night without shelter in the middle of a blizzard. I didn't come to find you sooner because blizzards are very disorientating. The likelihood of finding you was about the same as you finding the next town. So, we were waiting for you at the inn."

"You…were waiting for me?"

"Yes. And you were certainly taking your sweet time."

"You waited for me," Goku repeated, smiling for the first time in the last several days.

"Don't get all sentimental about it. It's not like we could go on with the blizzard raging, anyway," the blonde said, feigning indifference. He allowed himself a mental smile as he pulled the kettle out of the fire, relieved the boy seemed to coming out of his depression.

"You waited for me, and then came to find me!" the teen said, grinning broadly.

"I only came to preserve my sanity. Listening to your shrill voice for hours on end is enough to drive anyone mad," Sanzo said, pulling a few dried tea leaves from his pack. He crushed them up, dropping them into the boiling water. When there was no reply to his comment, he glanced at his charge. The saru was just sitting there staring at him, that silly grin still plastered across his face. The monk could tell that Goku didn't believe a word he said. "Go to sleep," he said moodily, retrieving a cup from the bag. "We're going to be heading out early in the morning. It'll probably take us all day to reach the town, with how slow you walk."

"Hey, Sanzo?"

The priest quirked an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I'm hungry."

. . .

"Man, it's freezing out there!" Gojyo said, walking over and holding his hands near the fire. He shivered, rubbing the numb digits together in an effort to warm them faster.

Hakkai was sitting at a table near the fireplace, his hands cupped around a steaming mug of tea. "So, you didn't have any luck finding them either, I take it?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nope. Nothing," the redhead replied, taking a seat next to his friend. "Not too surprising, though. It's not all that easy to follow someone in the snow when the blizzard covered his tracks. For all I know, he could have gotten turned around and headed out of town in the other direction."

The green-eyed man remained silent, sipping the hot mixture.

"So, how long have you been here?" the half-demon asked.

"I only arrived a few minutes ago," the brunette replied, staring into the green liquid. "I was hoping they might have made it back before us, but…"

"No such luck," Gojyo finished.

"No, I'm afraid not."

The water sprite leaned back in his chair, seemingly relaxed. "Ah, don't worry about it, man. I'm sure they'll turn up sooner or later. And that crabby monk will yell at us for wasting our time looking for him, saying that he didn't ask us to help and complaining about how it's our fault he's been delayed in the first place."

Hakkai chuckled softly. "I'm sure those will be the first words out of his mouth."

"And the monkey, of course," Gojyo continued, "will be starving."

"Yes. If there's one thing you can count on, it's Goku's appetite," he agreed. The smile fell from his face. "I am a little worried about that demon, though."

The redhead reached into his jacket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one up. "I wouldn't, if I were you," he said, blowing the smoke into the air. "As much as I hate to admit it, the corrupt monk can take care of himself. He just gets other people to do the work for him, whenever he can."

"That's true, but Goku doesn't know he's out there. And if he was injured in the fall…"

Gojyo took a long drag off his cigarette, closing his eyes as he exhaled. "You worry too much, Hakkai. They'll be fine, you'll see."

The demon's lips quirked in a small smile, easily reading the uneasiness in his friend's relaxed posture. _You're just as worried about them as I am,_ he thought, letting his gaze wander to the window. The darkness hid what lay beyond it. "I hope you're right."

. . .

Goku sat up, breathing heavily as his eyes darted around the cave. The tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly as he spotted the dark form sitting against the wall opposite him. He sighed, bringing one shaky hand up to cover his eyes. _It was just a dream,_ he told himself silently. _It was just a dream._

As his heart rate returned to normal he shivered, only then realizing how cold it was. The fire had died down during the long night, only a few dimly glowing embers remaining. Pulling the blanket back around his shoulders, he moved to where he had spread out his clothes, feeling along the ground for the garments. It didn't take too long before he was fully dressed, trembling slightly in his cold, but dry, clothing.

Leaving the blanket on the ground, he carefully made his way over to the pile of wood they had stocked up the night before. Although he tried to be quiet, he accidentally kicked a couple rocks, sending them skittering loudly across the cave floor. He cringed, looking at his blonde companion who was still sleeping. Sanzo didn't even flinch.

Taking this for a good sign, Goku continued on, snapping several twigs underfoot as he neared the firewood. Still no reaction from the priest. Reaching the pile, he wrapped his hands around a large limb and tugged. It was stuck. He tried pulling harder. The entire pile moved, the smaller twigs scraping along the rock floor emitting a sound similar to that of nails on a chalkboard. Not to be deterred, the brunette put one foot against the other branches, getting ready to try again when a familiar _click_ made him freeze.

"Are you quite finished?"

Goku slowly turned his head to face the monk. He absently noticed that it was getting lighter as he could make out the priest's features quite clearly in the poor lighting, as well as the silver gun trained on him. "But, Sanzo, I was just--"

"Trying to wake me up and you succeeded. Congratulations," the blonde finished, sourly. "You could wake the dead with the racket you make, Goku."

"I was just trying to build a fire," the boy said defensively.

Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "Build a fire? More like set yourself on fire. Remember what happened the last time?"

"Yeah, but I've gotten a lot better since then!" Goku protested. "Hakkai's been teaching me!"

The priest snorted. "He uses the dragon."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't know how," the boy replied.

"Whatever." The gunman looked towards the entrance, noting the not-quite-dark sky outside. "Don't worry about the fire. We're leaving," he said, moving over to the pack.

"What? Right now? But, what about breakfast?" The saru hadn't even finished the question before three meat buns were lobbed at his head. He grabbed one with each hand, catching the last in his mouth. " 'ank 'ou, 'an'o," he said around the roll clutched in his teeth.

It didn't take long to pack and they were soon standing outside the cave, the sun peaking up over the horizon. Sanzo noted where it was, looking around the clearing to figure out which way he had come from. _Goku was sitting next to that tree when I first saw him, so I came from over there. That means we need to head northwest to reach the town,_ he thought, heading in that direction. "Come, Goku."

The boy followed him, squirming a little bit to make the pack sit more comfortably on his shoulders. "Hey, Sanzo, how come I have to carry this?"

"Because I drug it all the way out here, so you get to carry it back."

"This thing weighs a ton! What'd you do, pack the entire inn inside there?!"

"The entire kitchen, at any rate," the priest muttered.

"The kitchen? You mean, this thing is filled with _food?!_" Goku asked, his eyes shining.

"If you sit down and start eating, I'll put a bullet between your eyes."

"But, Sanzo! I'm sooooo hungry!"

The monk clenched his teeth, feeling a vein start to bulge on his forehead. "We're not stopping until we reach the town. I'm not spending another night out here."

The boy was silent for a few seconds, pondering. "Well, can I eat while we walk, then?" he asked, hopefully.

"Tch. Do what you want."

Goku howled in delight, punching his fist in the air. "Alright! Thanks, Sanzo!"

The blonde turned to him. "Just don't slow me down."

The brunette had already shifted the bag so it rested against his chest and the large pocket was open. He had a meat bun in each hand and was fervently chewing something in his mouth. He paused when he noticed the gunman staring at him. " 'id 'ou 'ay ''omet'ing, 'an'o?" he asked around the food in his mouth.

The priest resisted the urge to rest his forehead in his hands, opting to take out a cigarette instead. "I don't know why I bother."

. . .

Gojyo walked through the deep drift, keeping an eye on the position of the rising sun as he made his way deeper into the mountains. Every few steps he raised his hands to his mouth, trying to make his voice louder as he called for his missing friends.

"I'm tired of having to come and rescue you all the time, you corrupt monk!" he yelled to the white forest. The abundant snow seemed to swallow his words, giving only silence as its reply. He stuck his hands back in his pockets, and continued walking down his chosen path. His foot found an unseen hole buried beneath the white powder, but he managed to catch himself before he fell. His toes were already starting to go numb from the cold.

"Oi, baka saru! Why don't you start pulling your weight around here instead of making us come and look for you!" he called out. There was a soft _plop_ as a branch off to his right lost some of the snow weighing it down. The shakujou was in his hand before he had even fully turned towards the noise, his eyes carefully scanning the trees. After a few tense seconds he relaxed, banishing his weapon and continuing on through the frozen powder.

"Hey, Sanzo! If you wanted some time along with the monkey, you could have just said so!" he shouted. He paused, ears pricked for the sound of a gunshot that would indicate his missing companions had heard him, as well as hopefully give him enough warning to dodge said bullet. Again, silence was his only reply. Sighing, he kept moving forward.

_Man, I can't believe it's taking us this long to find them,_ he thought, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. _I know there's a lot of area to cover, but they would both be heading back to the town, right? Well, unless his holiness is still out here looking for the chimp. What was he thinking…?_ The kappa retrieved his lighter, flipping it open with a practiced flick of his thumb. _Was he really that worried about Goku? That's not really his style, though. He's colder and more practical than Hakkai. Not to mention he hates doing more than he absolutely has to. So, maybe Hakkai was right and Sanzo had some sort of lead on Goku's whereabouts. But how? It's not like anyone knew where the monkey was…_

The kappa blew a small cloud of smoke into the air. "Hey, Goku! I've got some nice, hot meat buns!" he yelled. Still no response. "Funny, I thought that one would work. Maybe I should have brought some along and let monkey-boy sniff them out. After all, he's got a nose like a--" The redhead paused, his eyes widening slightly. _That's right. There was one other who knew the monkey was out here. Could the demon have captured Goku and used him to lure Sanzo out? But, how could he have gotten into the inn without me and Hakkai sensing his demonic aura? Not to mention Blondie isn't exactly the type to let a hostage affect his decisions in that type of situation… But, then again, Goku has never been the one whose life is on the line. What if…_ The half-youkai shook his head firmly, not letting that line of thought continue.

"You stupid, trigger-happy monk! I'm gonna beat the crap out of you for making me come all the way out here to find you! I could be sitting back at the inn with some hot babe, but instead I'm out here freezing my butt off looking for you and your pet monkey!" he shouted. He sighed when there was no retort from a firearm or indignant whine about being referred to as an animal. He checked the position of the sun again, continually putting one partially numb foot in front of the other. _This is going to be a long day._

. . .

**To Be Continued**

If you would like a response to your review, please sign in before reviewing or leave an email address. Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 5**

The snow glistened in the sunlight filtering through the trees. One heavy boot came down, the white powder crunching as it was compacted under the foot. His breath misted in the chilly air, the unusual amount of exertion causing him to breathe a bit heavier than normal. Pulling one foot out of the deep snow, he took another step, cursing their slow progress. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure his companion was still with him. Goku was following the gunman, hopping from one deep footprint to another. He looked up, meeting Sanzo's eyes and grinned. _At least one of us is enjoying himself,_ the blonde thought, annoyed as he continued forging a path. Although the youth's boundless energy was irritating to the winded priest, it was better than listening to the saru's complaints.

The sun was high in the sky, warming them a little as they passed through the scattered pools of light. Sanzo glanced up, making sure they were still heading the right way. He paused when he noticed the sound behind him had stopped. Turning, he looked at the boy, noting his slightly tense posture as his head was cocked to the side, as if listening to something. "What is it?" he asked, knowing Goku had most likely picked up on something he could not.

"It sounds like a howl," the golden-eyed boy said. "It's pretty far away, though."

The blonde cursed, picking up his pace as he started walking again. "Come on, Goku."

The saru hurried to catch up. "Sanzo? What's wrong?" he asked.

"I think the wolves picked up our trail."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't an accident when you were pushed over the cliff. An assassin is controlling a pack of wolves and using them to do his bidding," the gunman explained, not slowing down. "I had hoped he'd either died in the blizzard or that we'd make it back to town without incident, but apparently that's not going to happen."

"What's the big deal?" the boy asked, easily keeping up with the blonde. "Can't we just kill them and get it over with?"

"No."

"How come? It never made any difference to you before," the saru pointed out.

"If demons, or humans for that matter, try to kill me, then I will take them out without any hesitation. The wolves aren't doing this of their own violation, Goku. It would be pointless killing and that is not something I condone, nor something that I will tolerate," the priest stated, looking at the boy over his shoulder. "Only the demon dies."

"Alright, if you say so."

Having stemmed the boy's questions for the moment, Sanzo reached into the folds of his robes, pulling out several pieces of paper. He moved his right hand in front of himself, the slips of paper held between the first two fingers, which were pointing up. His pace slowed as he began chanting softly, concentrating fiercely on the talismans. If he didn't create them now, he knew he wouldn't get another chance.

His eyes seemed to refocus on his surroundings as he finished chanting, feeling the power infuse itself into the paper. He blinked, changing his course slightly to avoid hitting a tree he had unknowingly been walking towards. He kept the talismans in his hand, ready to use at a moment's notice. "Goku, let me know when the wolves get close," he instructed.

"If you don't want to kill them, don't you think we should hide or something?" the saru replied.

Sanzo almost snorted. "Being dogs, they have a very keen sense of smell, so that isn't really a viable option. Unless you want to climb a tree," he said. He internally groaned as the golden-eyed boy seemed to seriously consider the suggestion. "Just tell me when you can hear them and what direction they're coming from."

They continued walking in silence, the priest periodically checking his course against the sun's position. It was several more minutes before the short boy spoke again.

"Hey-- I think I can hear them!" Goku said, turning his head towards the trees on either side of him. "It sounds like they're coming from several different directions. I can't tell which one is the closest."

The priest swore under his breath. _So, he's going to surround us and attack from all sides. All that's left now is to choose where the fight will take place,_ he thought. He studied the terrain ahead of him, as well as that on either side. _Not much of a difference where we do it here, and I doubt we'll be able to reach a better place before they catch up with us._

"Hey, Sanzo-- there's a wolf up there, hiding behind that tree," Goku said, pointing. "And another one over there-- he's crouching down in the bushes, see?"

The blonde couldn't see the creatures from that distance, but didn't bother explaining that to the chimp. _Here it is, then,_ he thought, stopping.

The brunette dropped the backpack he was carrying on the ground and held out his hand, the nyoi-bou materializing out of thin air. He grasped the staff, holding it in a ready position, his back pressing against Sanzo's. "Three more wolves now-- one right in front of me and I can hear one coming up in front of you. The other one is up on your left. But, why aren't they attacking?"

The priest held his right arm across his chest, ready to throw the talismans as soon as any of the wolves showed themselves. "They are probably waiting for the other wolves to catch up or, more likely, their master," he stated, his eyes warily scanning the snow-covered forest.

"Very good, Priest Sanzo," a slightly winded voice called out.

The gunman's head jerked to the right, trying to find the demon hidden there. _It sounds like he ran all the way here. His fatigue may cause him to make a mistake. If I can take him out, the wolves will be released from his control and we can continue on our way. If I can just find him…_ "Why don't you stop hiding like a coward and face us?" he called out tauntingly.

The voice laughed long and loud, as if the priest had told a very funny joke. Movement from the corner of his eye caught the blonde's attention and he turned his head to the left, trying to find its source. There was nothing there. His head snapped back to the right as the demon started talking again.

"Come out and face you, you say? Your marksmanship, as well as your banishing gun is well known among the youkai. No, I think it is safer if I keep myself from becoming a target before the battle has even begun, wouldn't you agree? I think the game is much more enjoyable if you have to get past my wolves before you can get to me," he said.

"Sanzo, look out!"

The blonde turned at Goku's shout, the warning coming a little too late. The nyoi-bou caught the animal in the chest, but not before the wolf's teeth bit through the talismans and sank into the priest's left arm. The creature started spasming as the holy power clashed with the youki controlling the animal, its jaws reflexively clamping down harder on the gunman's upper arm. The black energy raced along the nyoi-bou still touching the canine's chest. The golden-eyed boy cried out at the unexpected pain, the purifying energy dissolving his weapon as it sent him flying through the air.

"Goku!" Sanzo yelled, trying to look over his shoulder at the boy's unexpected shout. The wolf still latched onto his arm fell to the ground, taking him with it. Clenching his teeth against the agony in his arm, he quickly finished the chant, activating the talismans now stuck in the wolf's mouth and freeing the animal of demonic control. He pried the jaws apart as soon as the creature fell limp, carefully removing his mangled arm. Clutching the injured limb, he rose to his feet, glancing behind him to check on the boy.

Goku was lying on the ground several feet away. He sat up, wincing as he put his hands to his temples. "Ow, my head! What was that?" he asked, his fingers massaging his scalp through his hair. "I've got a _killer_ migraine!"

The blonde released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _There were seven powerful purifying talismans. He's lucky the worst he has is a headache,_ he thought, resisting the smile that was tugging at the corners of his lips. His gaze dropped back down to the wolf at his feet. _But now, I'm out of talismans._

The demon started laughing again as Goku pulled himself to his feet and resumed his position at the priest's back. "You almost took out your pet monkey while trying to save these animals from my control, didn't you? You need to be more careful, Priest Sanzo," the voice said, tauntingly. "But, I suppose that won't be a problem anymore, will it? So, you should be able to take on multiple opponents…"

The remaining four wolves came racing towards them from all sides. Sanzo cursed under his breath, calculating how to hold the creatures at bay without a weapon. He sensed Goku step away from him to engage the rabid animals on his side. _I don't think I can rely on Goku to watch my back-- he bounces all over the place during a fight,_ the priest thought.

The closer of the two wolves jumped at him, its front paws catching him full in the chest. He let its momentum knock him to the ground, using his feet to launch the animal over him and into a tree, stunning it. He rolled back to his feet as the second wolf lunged at him, four paws scrambling in the snow as he moved out of the way. The creature regained its footing and came at him again. He managed to grab the wolf's snout, his fingers curling inside its mouth between its teeth. The animal snarled and growled, trying in vain to bite his fingers and shaking its head in an effort to free itself, but Sanzo held fast. He pulled his weapon from his robes, hitting the butt of the gun hard on the wolf's skull. The creature collapsed in a boneless heap.

The priest looked up, seeing the demon standing out in the open, watching them. Seizing the opportunity, he raised his gun. A gray blur was all the warning he had as a wolf tackled him from the side, teeth gnawing fervently on his lower right arm. He vaguely registered that his gun was no longer in his hand as he tried to free his arm from the raging animal.

"Sanzo!"

A red staff forcefully connected with his attacker, sending the wolf flying. The animal almost took his arm with it before the limb was ripped out of its mouth. The blonde swore softly as he clutched the bloody gashes, his eyes scanning the trampled snow for any sign of his gun. Goku stood in front of him protectively, waiting for the demon to make his move.

"It seems that my wolves were no match for you after all," the youkai commented lightly. "Although, it was rather entertaining."

"You want some entertainment? Why don't you come down here and fight me yourself? I'm more than capable of taking you on!" the saru called out, challengingly.

"Oh, I've no doubt about that," the demon replied, "which is why I've taken the liberty of bringing more playmates for you to play with."

Goku raised his head, looking around the forest. Several more wolves had arrived, running to attack the duo. "Not more wolves," the boy complained, bringing his staff up. "How many of these things do you have under your control, anyway?"

Not seeing the weapon, Sanzo leaned forward a little, bowing his head as he cradled his arm to his body, as if it pained him greatly. When he was sure the demon couldn't see his mouth, he began chanting softly.

"I wouldn't worry about that, if I were you. I'd be more concerned about what you're going to do when the four wolves you just took out start waking up. I think some of them are already coming around," the youkai stated as the wolf Sanzo had thrown into the tree rose a little unsteadily to its feet. Its eyes locked onto its prey and it leapt forward, teeth bared as it lunged towards the priest's unprotected back.

"Makai Tenjyo!"

The sutra snaked out in all directions, faster than the eye could follow. The wolves howled as they were caught in its grasp, biting at the scripture to try and free themselves. The demon cursed loudly as he was bound, unable to escape. "No!" he cried, struggling uselessly against the Maten Sutra's powers. "It can't be!"

"Goku."

"Huh?" The boy turned, looking at the kneeling priest over his shoulder. Sanzo didn't reply, but the brunette smiled, getting the message loud and clear. "Alright, you're mine!" he cried, raising the nyoi-bou as he ran towards the demon. The staff pierced his heart, the youkai's scream fading as he was banished.

The sutra withdrew, dropping the now unconscious wolves to the ground as it rolled itself back into a scroll, forming in the priest's outstretched hand. He set the scripture aside, carefully removing his cloak and shrugging out of the top half of his robes to better treat his injuries.

Goku retrieved the travel pack from where it had fallen, pulling out the ointment and bandages. He carefully took Sanzo's arm and began cleaning the gashes, expecting a rebuke from the older man. The blonde remained silent, allowing the golden-eyed boy to tend to his injuries.

After the saru had finished wrapping his arms, the priest pulled his robes back over his shoulders, replacing the sutra on them before putting his cloak back on. He dug around in the snow looking for his gun while Goku shouldered the pack. Finding the silver weapon, he put it back in his robes, rising to his feet. Looking up at the sun, he determined which direction he needed to be heading in and set off. "Goku, keep an ear out for any of these wolves following us. I'm not sure how long they'll be out. It could be one large pack, but my guess is that this is at least two separate packs, which means there will be a fight over their territory. However, it will be tempting for them to come after us," he said.

"Huh? If they're busy fighting each other, why would they want to come after us?" the boy asked.

"Because I've left a tempting trail for them to follow," the priest explained, pointing towards the crimson stains on the snow. "They will see that and think that it's from a wounded animal. It won't be hard for them to track the blood on me and I don't like surprise attacks."

"Oh. Okay," the saru said. The wind had picked up, blowing from behind as it to help push them on. He stopped, sniffing the air as a very familiar smell caught his attention.

Sanzo halted as well. "What is it?" he asked.

"Something smells…_good_…" Goku said, starting to wander back the way they had come. A familiar _click_ stopped him in his tracks.

"If you even _think_ about wandering off, I'm going to save myself the trouble of having to find you again by putting a bullet in your skull right now," the monk stated.

"But, I'm starving!"

"You ate everything I brought, which was about half the kitchen, earlier. You can wait until we reach the town. So, start walking."

"But, _Sanzo_--"

"Now, Goku."

Dejectedly, the boy did as he was told, turning and trudging resignedly after the priest. He cast one last longing look over his shoulder, wishing he could find the source of the aroma. _Meat buns…_

. . .

Hakkai sat down on a rock, his shoulders hunched against the wind as he pulled small bundle from his bag. He carefully unwrapped the last meat bun he had brought with him, taking a bite of it. _It's still warm_ he thought, tearing off a piece of it and feeding it to Hakuryuu, who was huddled inside his cloak. It didn't take long to finish the snack and he was soon on his way again. _How long has it been?_ he wondered, staring down at the tracks in the snow. _It couldn't have been more than ten minutes since I heard that wolf howl. I wonder if these tracks are from him or another wolf? In any case, it seems they were in a hurry to get somewhere. If this was one of the wolves under that demon's control, and Sanzo was indeed the target, I just hope I'm not too late,_ he thought, moving as fast as he dared through the deep snow.

The wind pushed him from behind, urging him forward even as it filled in the tracks he was following. He hurried through the deep drift, the sun steadily sinking lower in the afternoon sky as he continued pursuing the only lead he had found all day. His foot caught on an unseen branch and he stumbled, managing to catch himself before he landed in the snow. The dragon chirped in protest as the brunette almost dropped him.

"I'm sorry, my friend," Hakkai apologized, smiling at the small creature. "I must be getting tired." He looked up, the smile falling from his face as he realized the tracks had completely disappeared. He squinted, staring hard at the white powder, trying to see the line of vague imprints he had been following thus far, but there was nothing. Just a smooth, blindingly white coat that extended out in all directions. He sighed, leaning up against a tree. "Well, this is problematic," he stated, not really directing his words to anyone.

The demon looked behind him, studying his still visible trail through the snow. "He seemed to be headed in a straight line, for the most part. I guess I'll just have to keep going and hope I find where he went," he decided, pushing himself off the tree. He looked up at the sun, noting the direction he was heading in and continuing on.

He walked for another hour or so, periodically correcting his course as he strayed in one direction or another. His eyes continually scanned the area around him, finding nothing but an undisturbed forest. He sighed as he walked past a large rock, sitting on it and taking a break. He pulled his cloak more tightly about him as the wind buffeted him, pulling at his clothing. "Two days of searching and still nothing to show for it. Things aren't looking too good right now for those two," he muttered, closing his eyes against the harsh white landscape. He felt the dragon struggling against his chest, trying to get free. "Hakuryuu?" he asked, letting the small creature out of his cloak.

The dragon raised his head, sniffing the air. He leapt off of Hakkai's lap, flapping his wings to rise into the air. "Kyuu!"

"What is it, boy?" the brunette asked, rising to his feet. "Do you smell something?"

"Kyuu!" The white animal nodded its head, flying a little ways away and waiting for its master to come.

The demon followed closely behind, noting that they were almost going back the way they had come, veering a little off to the left. _I must have walked right past it without realizing,_ the brunette thought, increasing his pace. _I didn't hear anything, so it must have been over before we passed by. Hopefully, there will be some clues left that I can follow._

They didn't travel for more than a few minutes when the dragon stopped, hovering over a lump in the snow. The demon knelt down, gently brushing the powder aside to reveal soft white fur. He dug the creature out, relieved that it seemed to be asleep. His hand paused, however, when he neared the animal's muzzle. He picked up the wolf's head, turning it to get a better look at the papers sticking out of the side of its mouth. _Talismans,_ he confirmed, noting the teeth piercing the multiple slips of paper, as well as the reddish-brownish stains covering them.

_Sanzo was here,_ he thought, rising to his feet. _He had several more talismans, but it seems that this wolf attacked before he was able to use them. And Sanzo was injured._ His sharp gaze scanned the area, looking for any other lumps that would signal another wolf, or perhaps something a little larger. Although the wind was doing an admirable job of covering it up, it was obvious that the snow had been trampled down, presumably where the struggle had taken place. However, no other odd lumps in the snow were visible.

Kneeling back at the unconscious wolf's side, he studied the blood on the talismans. _It looks to be a couple hours old,_ he thought, running possible scenarios through his mind. It didn't look good. "Sanzo!" he yelled suddenly, startling the dragon on his shoulder. "Goku!"

Joy and relief surged through his body when he heard an answering call, spinning around towards the direction it had come from. He looked up the hill, his heart sinking as a familiar head of red hair came into view, as the kappa hurried down the slippery slope towards him.

Gojyo slowed as he neared Hakkai, getting a better look. "Oh, it's just you," he said, disappointment evident in his voice as he shoved his hands back in his pockets.

"It's good to see you too, Gojyo," the brunette replied, only the faintest hint of sarcasm coloring his voice.

"Sorry, man," the water sprite apologized, running one hand through his crimson locks. "It's just, ya know. I thought I had finally found them. It's been a long day."

"I know exactly how you feel, my friend," Hakkai said, sympathetically. "But, I have, at least, found evidence that Sanzo was alive and here a couple hours ago." He gestured for the redhead to come over to the wolf, lifting its head to show him the talismans.

"Several of those things stuck inside its mouth? His aim has gotten really lousy," Gojyo stated.

"I believe he was taken by surprise. Once it adheres, the talisman can't be taken off and used on another creature. If Sanzo was holding all of his talismans in one hand, I believe this would have left him virtually defenseless. And I don't think the demon would have given him time to create more," the brunette stated, solemnly.

"You're not suggesting he's dead, are you? 'Cuz I'm gonna be really ticked off if I wasted my day searching for a dead guy," the redhead said.

Hakkai smiled, easily seeing the underlying meaning of the callous words. "I'm not sure. I think the sound of a gunshot would have carried far enough for us to hear it and there would be more than just the one wolf here. On the other hand, if Sanzo is indeed dead, I do not see the demon taking his body, and it is not here, either. So, either Sanzo managed to escape on his own or the demon has taken him prisoner." He looked up at the sky. "We don't have much daylight left before we have to head back to the town. I say we comb this area and try to find any indication of where he might have gone. Hakuryuu, see if you can find anything from the air."

The dragon chirped in acknowledgement, taking flight. The redhead sighed, looking around. "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. And a white haystack, at that," he complained, rubbing his eyes. "That stupid priest is such a pain."

"At least we've narrowed down the area to be searched," the brunette stated.

Gojyo snorted. "Injured or not, I'm still gonna beat the crap out of him when we find him."

. . .

"Alright!" Goku cried, pumping his fist in the air. "We found it!"

Sanzo followed a little more slowly behind the exuberant youth as they entered the town. _We made better time than I thought we would,_ he thought, noting that there was at least an hour or two before the sun would set.

"Sanzo! I found a restaurant!" the golden-eyed boy exclaimed, running back to the priest. "It's right up around the corner! Can we go? Please? You said we could eat when we got back to the town! Can we go? Can we go? I'm starving! Please? Can we go? I'm so hungry I could--"

The priest's fingers twitched, longing to strike the monkey with his paper fan. "Shut up!" he snapped. "I've had to listen to you whine all day and I'm sick of it!"

The short brunette flinched, waiting for a blow that never came. He opened one eye, peering cautiously at the older man. "Sanzo…?" he asked, confusion coloring his tone.

"Tch. We're heading back to the inn first. You can get something to eat there," he stated, continuing down the street.

Goku kept pace with the blonde, looking at him strangely. _I don't get it. Why didn't he hit me with his paper fan? I was sure he was going to, but…_ He looked away, understanding dawning on him. "The wounds on your arms are hurting you, aren't they?" he asked solemnly, the previous childish excitement gone.

The monk snorted. "What do you think?" he asked sarcastically. _I'm lucky I'm not missing chunks of flesh, especially with how the second wolf was ripped off my arm._

He led the boy to the inn, kicking his boots against the doorframe to get as much snow off of them as possible before stepping inside. The innkeeper looked up when the door opened.

"You're back!" he said, startled by the blonde's presence.

"Are our rooms still available?" Sanzo asked, ignoring the shocked expression on the man's face.

"What? Oh, yes! Yes, of course!" he hastened to assure the monk. His eyes wandered to the closed door behind them. "But, where are your other two companions? They went out to search for you this morning. Did they not find you?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure they'll return once it starts getting dark," he said encouragingly.

The priest nodded curtly, walking past the innkeeper. Goku followed behind him, not even giving the dining room a second glance. The gunman raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, climbing the staircase to the second floor. He walked past several doors, stopping at his room. "You're room is three doors down on the left, Goku," he told the boy.

He entered his room, taking off his cloak and tossing it over the back of a chair. Untying his obi, he let the blanket fall to the floor, replacing the black belt around his waist to secure his robes. He moved over to the table, sinking into one of the chairs wearily. He flinched slightly as one hand fished around in his robes, the movement pulling at the wounds. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, he lit one up, inhaling the smoke into his lungs and holding it there for a few seconds before releasing it.

He sat there for several minutes, simply enjoying the silence. When he had finished his cigarette, he stubbed it out in the ashtray, his gaze lingering on the bandages covering his arms. _I probably need to clean those gashes more thoroughly. It's painful enough without infection setting in,_ he thought, slipping his arms out of his robe and letting the material fall to his waist. He moved his right hand over, picking at the material to loosen the knot. It was pulled tight. He continued working at it, trying to get it loose with just one hand, but it was no use. Giving up on the first, he tried to untie the bandage on his other arm, getting similar results. He finally gave up, opting to have another cigarette while mentally cursing Goku's knots. There was no way he was going to ask for help.

He was half-way through the next cigarette when there was a knock on his door. "What is it?" he asked, not bothering to get up.

The door opened and Goku walked in, closing it behind him. He had a bowl of water with a jar and a roll of bandages. "I know I didn't do a good job of cleaning the gashes on your arms earlier," he said, setting the items on the table. "So, I'm gonna do that now."

"Do whatever you want," Sanzo said as the boy pulled a chair nearer him and sat down, carefully picking up one of the wrapped arms. The priest scowled as Goku's fingers easily undid the knot and removed the bandages.

The golden-eyed boy held the arm like it was made of glass, cleaning the wounds as carefully as he could. The blonde almost snorted at the sight of Goku focused so intently on something that didn't involve food or fighting. The monk feigned indifference, but watched intently, just to make sure he wouldn't have to go back and do it over. He had to admit, however, that the saru was going a good job. His hands were surprisingly gentle as he wiped the cloth along the gashes, wringing it out in the warm water he had brought. It was almost unnerving to see Goku concentrating so intently, not letting anything distract him from his self-appointed task.

When the boy had finished rewrapping the first arm, he scooted his chair around to the other side, giving the same care and attention to the second arm.

"I thought Hakkai was supposed to be the nursemaid around here," Sanzo remarked dryly as Goku spread the ointment liberally over the wounds.

"What?" was the reply, golden eyes blinking confusedly.

"Nevermind," the blonde said, rolling his eyes.

Goku shrugged, picking up a roll of bandages and carefully winding the cloth around Sanzo's arm. "I just wanted to help, that's all."

"Don't expect a 'thank you' from me."

The boy shook his head, tying a knot to keep bandages in place. "No, I'm happy to do it," he said, the corners of his lips lifting in a small smile.

"Whatever."

. . .

Hakkai opened the door, stepping inside the warm building. He opened his cloak, letting Hakuryuu fly up and perch on his shoulder instead. Gojyo came in behind him, stomping his feet outside before stepping in. "All day, climbing stupid mountains in the snow," he griped, following the brunette to the fireplace in the dining hall. "And we still aren't any closer to finding them than we were before."

The demon remained silent, stretching his hands out towards the flames to warm them. The firelight was reflected in his eyes as he stared at the blaze, dispiriting thoughts occupying his mind. He didn't look up as the dragon left his shoulder, assuming he was too close to the heat for the small creature's comfort.

"I don't know, Hakkai," the redhead continued, his voice becoming somber. "It's been two days. Tomorrow will make three. I think he was probably right about Goku, but Sanzo's only human. And, if he got lost out there, on top of being injured…" He kept his gaze on the dancing flames, not wanting to look at his friend as he voiced his concerns. "I just don't see how he could make it through this time."

"Don't be so quick to put me in my grave," a sarcastic voice called from across the room. "I don't appreciate it."

Two heads snapped towards the voice, eyes wide with disbelief. Sitting at a table in the corner, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he read the newspaper, was Sanzo. Across from him, energetically waving a fork with a piece of chicken on it, was Goku. Hakuryuu was perched on the back of the chair next to him, picking food from the numerous plates covering the table.

"Sanzo! Goku!" Hakkai exclaimed, hurrying towards them. "You're alright!"

"You sound surprised," the priest stated, taking off his glasses as he looked at the tall brunette balefully. "I thought you were smarter than that stupid kappa."

"Well, given the circumstances, you can hardly blame us for being worried," the emerald-eyed man replied, smiling broadly as he took as seat next to the gunman. "Especially after we found the wolf that appeared to have tried to eat your talismans."

"Hmph. I don't recall asking you to 'come save me,' " he monk replied. "It was your choice to waste your time."

Gojyo plopped down into the chair next to Goku. "See? Didn't I tell you that'd be exactly what he'd say?" the redhead asked, grinning at the demon.

"Indeed, you did," Hakkai agreed.

The monk snorted, going back to reading his paper.

Unable to get a rise out of the blonde, Gojyo turned his head towards an easier target. "It was nice of you to order for all of us," he said, snatching a dumpling off the saru's plate, sticking it in his mouth.

"That was mine, you stupid water sprite!" Goku yelled, glaring angrily at redhead. "Get your own!"

"Don't be so stingy," the half-demon replied, licking his fingers. "After all, the reason I didn't get dinner was because I was out looking for _you_."

"So?! I didn't eat for three days! I got dibs!"

"Well, that's not my fault. If you weren't so clumsy, you wouldn't have fallen over the cliff, now would you?"

"I didn't fall! I was pushed! Hey, give that back!"

"Too slow, monkey."

"Stop calling me that, you stupid cockroach!"

Sanzo's grip tightened on the newspaper, his fingers threatening to rip the flimsy paper. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, using a little more force than was necessary. Pulling out his gun, he fired off one shot between Goku and Gojyo, both of which froze. "If you two can't eat quietly, I'm going to silence you both for good!"

"But, Sanzo--"

"Shut up and eat. Gojyo, order your own and leave Goku's alone."

"Oh, a couple days out in the woods and now the monk is protective of his monkey," the redhead said teasingly.

The hammer was pulled back on the Smith & Wesson, clicking as another bullet was loaded into the chamber. "I'm gone for a couple days and the stupid kappa seems to have lost all survival instincts," he said mockingly, directing his words to Hakkai as he aimed the gun between the water sprite's eyes. "Perhaps I should just put him out of his misery right now."

Gojyo quickly scooted his chair back, standing and walking away from the table. "Nah, I think I'll go order something to eat. I wouldn't want all of the beautiful women in the world to mourn because of my untimely death at the hands of a trigger-happy monk," he said, ducking out of the room before Sanzo could make him a moving target.

"Tch." The blonde put his gun away, picking up a cup of tea at his elbow and taking a drink. He noticed Hakkai staring at the bandages clearly visible on his arms.

"So, that _was_ your blood on the talismans," the tall brunette said.

The priest saw no reason to state the obvious, opting to light another cigarette instead.

"We didn't find a lot of blood on the ground around the wolf, but I'm still relieved that you weren't injured too badly," he continued. "I'll see what I can do about healing your wounds after dinner."

"Hmph."

"By the way, Sanzo," Hakkai started, looking intently at the monk, "why did you leave on your own, not only in the middle of the night, but during a blizzard, as well?" he asked.

"I had a screaming headache," the priest replied. Goku paused, fork half-way raised to his mouth. His eyes met the monk's gaze and he smiled. The gunman rolled his eyes in annoyance. "And I decided to take a walk to clear my head."

Hakkai blinked, obviously not expecting that response. "And…you just happened to run into Goku along the way?"

"Yep."

"I see," he replied, his gaze wandering to the boy seated across from them. "I guess, there was no reason to worry, then."

Goku finished the last of the food, sitting back in his chair. "Man, I'm stuffed. That meal was awesome!" he exclaimed, grinning.

"Good. Now, go to bed. We're leaving early in the morning," the priest said, rising to his feet.

Hakkai watched the boy follow Sanzo across the room both heading upstairs. He smiled, relieved that the group was together again and not much worse for the wear. "No," he repeated, stroking Hakuryuu's neck as the dragon landed on his shoulder, "there was no reason to worry at all."

. . .

**The End**

If you would like a response to your review, please sign in before reviewing or leave an email address. Thank you.


End file.
